Sovereign Supplies 369 VEKA Vertical Sliders for Notting Hill Social Housing Renovation
May 8, 2015
Fabricated and installed by Sovereign Group Ltd. – close neighbours of The VEKA UK Group’s HQ and flagship manufacturing plant – the substantial order totalled 369 Matrix 70 frames, delivered and installed over the four-month period from October 2014 to January 2015.
Winterbourne House, the 1930s-built development under renovation has made the news in recent years for its location on Portland Road, close to the homes of such Hollywood stars as Nicole Kidman and Matt LeBlanc.
Frances Austin, Managing Director of Sovereign Group Ltd. explains: “Winterbourne House is in the vicinity of one of London’s most prestigious postcodes and, as you might expect, presentation of properties in the area is taken very seriously.
“The VEKA UK Group’s Vertical Slider was the perfect replacement window for this project, fulfilling, as it did, all the planners’ and landlord’s criteria. Not only was a system required that would address the shortcomings of its predecessor but also one that authentically complemented the building’s 1930s architecture.
“The Vertical Slider fit the bill on all fronts and, besides receiving the landlord’s commendation for the system’s many attributes and the quality of our installation, we’re told that feedback from the residents has been excellent too.”
The windows previously installed at Winterbourne House also featured vertical sliding sashes but were constructed using timber frames that, inevitably had diminished over the years.
Frances continues: “The traditional styling of sash windows has had a notable renaissance in recent years, with many homeowners and buyers coveting them as a ‘period feature’ of a property. The obvious drawback with the original timber designs, however, is that no matter how well or regularly the frames are painted and weatherproofed, it’s highly unlikely that rot won’t creep in at some point.
“Climatic changes through the seasons and the varying humidities and temperatures they bring mean timber frames expand, contract and warp, leading to compromised performance and even problems with functionality.
“Opting for a modern-day PVC-U replacement like VEKA’s Vertical Slider offers the best of both worlds. There’s no need to spend time or money maintaining the frames – the odd drop of oil on mechanical parts and an occasional wipe down with soapy water is all that’s required to keep them clean and functioning smoothly. We were even able to add external astragal bars, mimicking the look of the building’s original Georgian windows while avoiding the impracticality that comes if the glass pane ever needs to be replaced.”
Colin Torley, Sales and Marketing Director for The VEKA UK Group commented: “Sovereign’s ability to supply Mullaley, the principal contractor on this job, with a window system that complies with planning regulations and satisfies the building owner’s requirements is testament to the great range of products The VEKA UK Group offers.
“Our technical team’s unrivalled expertise allows us to continually pre-empt changes in building regulations and accelerate advances in window efficiency with designs that complement the full spectrum of properties. By that virtue, it’s little wonder that our Vertical Slider and FlushSash designs are so widely specified for projects where aesthetics are closely controlled.
“Landlords see the VEKA name as being synonymous with performance and durability – important considerations when leasing properties to tenants, and making our products sound, long-term investments. We congratulate the Sovereign team on their exemplary completion of this job and look forward to seeing where they take VEKA profile next!”
